Clone
by JAGgedIverson
Summary: The team investigates a pattern of murders involving female naval officers (GibbsKate)
1. 1

Title: Clone Author: JAGgedIverson Rating: Summary: The team investigates a pattern of murders involving female naval officers. Disclaimer: Not mine.  
  
A/N: I'm not very happy with the way the show seems to be going in the direction of a Kate and Tony pairing. I want Kate and Gibbs to get together! I mean, the man in so darn sexy! Anyway, on with the story!  
  
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"We've got another one. Get your gear. Tony, get the truck. Kate, call Ducky. Meet me downstairs." Gibbs said, already grabbing his beloved coffee and his overcoat and heading towards the elevator.  
  
"How come you always get to drive the truck?" Kate questioned, picking up the phone.  
  
Tony just smiled and grabbed the keys on his way out.  
  
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"Kate, get sketches and pictures. Tony, get the witness statement." Gibbs instructed, before going over to Ducky and the body. "So, what do we got, Duck?"  
  
"This one is very much like the others, but there is one difference. This one was married." Ducky took victim's left hand gently in his own and showed Gibbs the ring. "I'd say that's 2.5 karat diamond. She, or her husband, was very wealthy. This brings back a memory of when I was a young boy-"  
  
"Ducky," Gibbs interrupted, "when did she die?"  
  
"Jethro, you must have patience. But, if I were to estimate, probably four or five hours ago. But, I won't know for sure until we get her back to the lab."  
  
"Can we turn her over, Duck?"  
  
"Yes, I didn't find anything of worth on this side."  
  
The two men carefully turned the woman over. Gibbs brushed the hair out of her face in order to see if there was any damage done. Both men took a step back and gasped at the sight they saw.  
  
"My God, Jethro, she looks exactly like-"  
  
"I know." Gibbs cut him off, not wanting to hear the rest of his statement.  
  
"Gibbs, I've got all the pictures and I'm done with the sketches. What now?" Kate asked, walking towards the body and the two men.  
  
Gibbs jumped up and walked towards her, stopping a few inches away in order to block her view of the body. "Look around for anything that might help. She was found without her cover, so keep an eye out for that. When you're done with that ask around, see if anybody saw anything. This is a fairly populated area during the day, so someone was bound to see or hear something."  
  
Kate looked at him for a moment, knowing something was up. She said nothing, but made a decision to ask about it later. She turned back towards the truck, shaking her head at his weird behavior. 


	2. 2

A/N: Thanks for all the reviews so far. I appreciate every single one of them. I hope to be putting up a new chapter everyday, except for weekends. I write the chapters while I a SUPPOSED to be paying attention in school, so I write one every weekday. Hope you enjoy this new chapter.  
  
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"Hey, Tony, you done?" Kate asked, placing the camera and the sketches in the truck.  
  
"Yeah, why?"  
  
"Gibbs wants the victim's cover. She didn't have it when she was found, and if this one was done by the same guy then it's here somewhere."  
  
Tony nodded and followed Kate towards the body.  
  
Kate stopped about twenty feet from the body and said, "Okay, I'll take this side. You take that side of the victim. It's gotta be here somewhere."  
  
Tony nodded again and headed off towards the right side of the body. He saw Gibbs and Ducky with the body and decided he wanted to see if this murder was like the first three. When he caught sight of the women's face his own went completely blank.  
  
"Uh, Boss, she looks like-"  
  
"We know, DiNozzo."  
  
"Has she seen-"  
  
"No. And she's not going to until it's absolutely necessary." Gibbs said, standing up. "We found this in the Lt.'s pocket."  
  
Tony took the piece of paper Gibbs held out and read it.  
  
Next time it will be the real person. And I'll make sure it won't be quick. I will make her suffer and live in pain until she begs me to end her life.  
  
Tony handed it back to Gibbs, his face ashen, and said, "What are we gonna do?"  
  
"We're gonna make sure this bastard doesn't come anywhere near her. She will never be totally alone."  
  
"Uh, I don't mean to put a kink in your plan Boss, but she's gonna wanna know why we're acting weird."  
  
"That's when she'll seethe body, Tony. She will understand once she sees then note and the body. Now go help find the cover." He dismissed him with a wave of the hand before turning back to Ducky.  
  
Tony went back over to Kate. "You find anything?" Kate stood up from where she was kneeling and held up a metal string. "I think I found the murder weapon."  
  
"What is it?"  
  
"This is a classical guitar string; I'd say the 6th string because it's pretty thick. It would take a lot of strength to actually kill someone with this, but from the look of our victims, this is what killed them. And I can tell you they suffered, it wasn't quick."  
  
"Was this found at any of the other crime scenes?" Tony questioned, placing the string in an evidence bag.  
  
"No, either our guy is getting sloppy or he wanted us to find it."  
  
Tony knew that the sick bastard wanted them to find it. It was probably his way of saying he was going to do something much worse to his next victim. And Tony was gonna do everything in his power not to let him get that chance. 


	3. 3

A/N: Keep those reviews coming!  
  
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Gibbs watched Kate as she sat at her computer. He knew he needed to tell her. And for some unknown reason he felt like he should tell alone, without anybody else around. She would go through the shock, the anger, the denial, and she would probably protest to protection. He didn't care; he wasn't going to let this guy anywhere near her.  
  
The latest victim, a Lt. O'Connor, could've been Kate's twin. And the fact that the guy knew what Kate looked like made Gibbs uneasy, to say the least. It was obvious the guy had problems, he was probably psychotic, and had a problem with women. His first victim was a Navy psychiatrist. His second was a Marine staff sergeant. His third was a Marine plane captain. And now a Navy doctor. There was no pattern to the crimes. All were strangled with a thin string. Possibly the string Kate found at the latest scene; Abby was analyzing it now.  
  
What Gibbs didn't understand why he would break pattern and go after Kate. It didn't make any sense. She wasn't military and she wasn't an authority figure. So it didn't make sense to him that this guy would go after her.  
  
"Hey! Gibbs, you comin?" Kate said loudly, standing by his desk. Tony was standing next to her, looking at him strangely.  
  
"Yeah." He said, standing as well.  
  
"You okay?"  
  
"Yeah."  
  
Kate looked at him skeptically but didn't say anything. She just turned and walked towards the elevators.  
  
He wasn't sure where they were going, but he figured it was down to Ducky or Abby.  
  
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"It took me a while, but I figured out what that metal string was. It wasn't a guitar string. It was a piano wire." Abby explained.  
  
"Aren't piano wires clear?" Tony asked.  
  
"Yeah. The reason the wire looked like it was a guitar string is because it was all dried blood."  
  
"From our victim?" Gibbs questioned.  
  
"Yes. And no. It has blood from Lt. O'Connor and the three previous victims. This guy used the same wire to kill all four women."  
  
"What does this mean? Our guy is too smart to just leave it there by accident. It was done on purpose; it's like he's trying to send us a message." Kate said. Gibbs knew why. The guy was gonna do something a helluva lot worse if he got his hands on Kate. But, Gibbs knew that wasn't going to happen. He would die before the bastard got within fifteen feet of her.  
  
He told himself he was so protective of her because she was his agent. She was under his command, so to speak. And he would continue to tell himself that, no matter what. 


	4. 4

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"Ducky, I'm gonna need the room empty when I tell her. You think you could set the body out in about ten minutes then clear everybody out?" Gibbs asked Ducky.  
  
"Of course, Jethro. Are you telling her alone or is Tony gonna be there?"  
  
"I think it's better if I do it alone."  
  
"It's probably best." Ducky agreed.  
  
Gibbs looked up when he heard the elevator ding and watched as Kate stepped off and walked towards her desk. "Listen, Duck, you get that done then call me and we'll be down." Gibbs hung up just as Kate sat down.  
  
"Where were you?" Gibbs questioned, looking at her.  
  
"I went down to the cafeteria to get coffee. Is that okay with you?" Kate answered, looking at him strangely.  
  
Gibbs nodded, not particularly liking the fact that she went somewhere alone and he didn't know. But, he couldn't reprimand her because she didn't know the danger she was in. He blamed himself for that, he should've just shown her the note and the body and told her not to go anywhere alone. For all they knew this guy worked at NCIS. As much as Gibbs wanted to believe that the security was too tight for that, anything was possible. They had to suspect everyone.  
  
+++++++ A/N: Sorry this is SO short, but I figured since I was posting two chapters at the same time it made of for the shortness. Next chapter will be longer, I promise. 


	5. 5

A/N: Sorry for the delay in this new chapter but I have been sick. I hope this is sufficient for now.  
  
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"Kate, Ducky wants to show us something." Gibbs looked across at Tony and nodded.  
  
"Isn't Tony coming?" Kate questioned when she noticed he didn't follow.  
  
"No." He answered simply.  
  
"Why do you do that?"  
  
"Do what?"  
  
"You know damn well I want an explanation and yet all you say is no. Do you have any idea how aggravating that is?"  
  
"Probably extremely aggravating." He said, knowing that she'd probably want to shoot him for that.  
  
She didn't answer, just glared at him with fire in her eyes.  
  
When the elevator came to a stop on the floor of the autopsy bay Gibbs stepped out first, glancing around to make sure they were alone. When he didn't see anybody in the room he walked towards the sheet covered body. He had to thank Ducky for the sheet.  
  
"I thought you said Ducky wanted to see us? Where is he?" Kate asked, getting annoyed.  
  
Gibbs turned to her and motioned for her to come to him. "Kate, there's something you should see."  
  
Kate's steps faltered, but she recovered quickly. Something was wrong, she'd had a feeling ever since they got to the scene of the last murder. Gibbs had been watching her every move for the entire day. He'd gotten all jumpy when she came back from the cafeteria. He wasn't acting like the normal Gibbs.  
  
"Gibbs, what's wrong?" Kate asked warily.  
  
"Just come over here." He said softly.  
  
Kate did as requested and walked to him. She stopped when she reached the table. She knew whatever was going on had to do with this body.  
  
"Okay, now will you tell me what's wrong?"  
  
Gibbs nodded and lifted the sheet. He watched her face to see how she reacted. He was surprised, and a little concerned, to see her break out in a smile.  
  
"This is a joke right? This is good, Gibbs. Did you get Abby to make some kind of mold and make my face? I have to give her some credit, this is exceptional." She turned back to Gibbs and her smile faded when she saw his expression. "What?"  
  
"This isn't a joke, Kate. This is Lt. O'connor." 


	6. 6

A/N: Thanks for all the reviews. I really appreciate it. Just keep 'em coming. Oh, and I changed the next in the note that was found on the body.  
  
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Kate's legs went weak and her face lost all humor. Gibbs saw her brace herself against the table and grabbed the nearest chair. He brought it over to her and helped her sit down before kneeling down so he could look into her eyes.  
  
"Kate are you okay?"  
  
She looked at him but he could tell she wasn't seeing him. He gently placed his hands on her shoulders and said, "Kate, look at me." He saw the focus come back into her eyes as he watched her.  
  
"Kate, are you okay?" He asked again.  
  
She nodded and looked back at the body. "What does this mean?"  
  
Gibbs reached into his picket and pulled out the note encased in a public evidence bag. "We found this on the body."  
  
Kate looked at the note then back at Gibbs. "I can't. You read it." She said.  
  
He nodded and read it aloud.  
  
Next time it will be your agent. I won't give it a second thought when I kill her. And I'll make sure it won't be quick. I will make her suffer and live in pain until she begs me to end her life.  
  
When he was done he looked at her. Her arms were braced on her knees and her head was in her hands. She looked so small and fragile. Gibbs could think of many words he would use to describe Kate, but fragile and small weren't on the list. He felt the urge to take her in arms and comfort her, but he knew he couldn't do that.  
  
"Kate, we can't take the chance of him getting to you while you're alone. So, we're not gonna let you go anywhere alone until we catch this guy. Now my plan is to have you stay with someone else and have protection outside wherever you are staying. Tony has offered to let you stay with him. Abby as well. Ducky said he would, but his mother is coming to visit. There's- "  
  
"What about you?" Kate interrupted, still holding her head in her hands.  
  
Gibbs was silent. He hadn't expected she would want to stay with him. He was a self-proclaimed bastard and everybody knew that. But he was more than willing to let Kate stay with him. In fact, he preferred it that ass opposed to her staying someplace else. "Of course you can stay with me, Kate."  
  
She looked up then. And the unshed tears in her eyes shocked him. He reacted impulsively, gathering her in his arms and holding her tightly. He didn't give a damn that the camera was on and he didn't care that he was breaking one of his rules; all he cared about was Kate. He felt the moment her resolve broke. Tears soaked his shirt and her arms went around his waist.  
  
He knew in that moment that his heart was lost. He tried to keep it protected, but the moment her arms tightened around him he was lost. This woman held his heart in her hands and there was no way to get it back. He hoped she was gentle with it. He'd thought he was through with love. Lord knows he tried to keep a relationship. He didn't want to get hurt again. He would never admit to anyone but, yes, he had gotten hurt.  
  
When the tears stopped falling Kate looked up at Gibbs and said, "Why does this shit always happen to me?"  
  
Gibbs expected to see the hurt and anger in her eyes, but he didn't expect to see helplessness. And he knew Kate way anything but helpless. Gibbs couldn't stand to see her hurt, so did the only thing he could do. He pulled her close again and whispered, "I don't know, Kate. I don't know." 


	7. 7

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Kate was never a weak person. She prided herself on being able to handle more than normal people could. She'd seen people die, she'd taken shots at people. She had even killed a guy. But nothing could've prepared her for this.  
  
A serial killer wanted her. He wanted to make her suffer. He wanted to kill her. No, nothing could've prepared her for this. On Air Force One she knew that it was possible that she would have to take a bullet for the president, but that came with the job description. There was no warning of being murdered when she joined NCIS. Sure there were risks, being shot, possibly killed, that's why they were issued guns. But, being murdered was completely different. Murder was personal, being hit by a bullet was a matter of chance.  
  
As she sat on the of the autopsy bay in Gibbs' arms she knew that her coworkers, no...her friends, would do all they could to protect her. And she knew that the man with her right now would die before he let anything happen to a member of his team.  
  
She opted to stay with Gibbs because it was with him, and only him, that she felt safe. She didn't know why she felt safe with him she just knew that she did. On the Philadelphia when they had to go through the emergency blow and she fell against him she was instantly calm. Sure, she was curious as to what was going on, but she wasn't scared. And when they went to Columbia she was amazed at how he could sleep on that plane. For some unknown reason she'd felt a little more at ease knowing he trusted that the plane would stay in the air. Then, when they went to Bosa to find Canton and the grenade went off he protected her from harm by throwing himself on top of her. He'd gotten injured and the first thing he wanted to know when they got up was if she okay.  
  
"You fallin asleep on me, Kate?" Gibbs teased lightly after she'd been quiet for some time.  
  
Kate leaned back enough to look at him and managed a small smile. "No, just trying to absorb this whole thing." She said. She knew it was a lie, but she couldn't tell him what she was really thinking, at least not yet.  
  
Gibbs nodded, understanding that she would have to come to terms with this in her own way, in her own time.  
  
"When do we start your plan?" Kate asked, removing herself from his arms.  
  
"Right now. I have orders to take you to your house to get what you need then take you to wherever you choose to stay. You are to remain there until this whole situation is handled."  
  
"Wait, let me get this straight. You're taking me to my house to get my stuff then to yours where I'm, basically, under lock and key? What am I supposed to do?"  
  
"I don't know. Watch TV or something. The director doesn't want you on the case anymore. He figures if you're not on it maybe this guy will forget about you."  
  
Kate looked at him disbelievingly, "Gibbs, you and I both know this guy isn't going anywhere until he either gets what he wants or gets caught. Now, how is staying locked up in a house going to prevent that?"  
  
Gibbs knew she wasn't going to take sitting in a house for days, possibly weeks, very well. But, if it was going to keep her alive he would do anything. Even if it meant handcuffing her to a chair and standing guard himself to make sure she wouldn't try to get out he would do it. 


	8. 8

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"This is bullshit, Gibbs, and you know it. You don't honestly believe that I'm going to sit idly by while you get to hunt this guy down. And you know damn well that if it was you in this position that you would not be sitting on your hands while we did all the work." Kate complained. They were sitting in his car on their way to pick up her stuff.  
  
"I know you're pissed, Kate. And you're probably right. But, I...we'll do anything to keep you safe. And if that means handcuffing you to a chair to make sure to don't move, then that's what we'll do." Gibbs said. He'd almost said HE'd do anything to keep her safe. That would be saying too much.  
  
"Damnit, Gibbs. You better keep me in the loop on this. If you leave me out, so help me God, I'll-"  
  
"Don't worry, I'll keep you in the loop. Now, what do you need from your place?" Gibbs asked as he pulled the car onto her street.  
  
"Stuff. It should only take me about ten minutes to grab everything."  
  
"You pack fast." He stated. Every woman he knew took at least an hour to pack. His second wife took four full suitcases on their honeymoon; they stayed for four days.  
  
"I have a bag already packed with essentials. I just need to put my toiletries in it, too."  
  
When they pulled up at her building Gibbs had a very unsettling feeling in the pit on his stomach. He looked at Kate and said, "Stay here."  
  
Kate looked at him like he was crazy as she watched him climb out of the car. When she saw him draw his gun her stomach clenched and she was out of the car immediately, her gun pulled as well. Gibbs had already gone into the building and since her building had only one entrance she followed him.  
  
She stayed on the stayed on the second floor, she took the stairs knowing the elevator would take too long.  
  
When she finally got to her apartment the door was open and her things were everywhere. She walked through the rooms with caution, her gun at the ready. Her living room was a total disaster area; the couch cushions were slashed, all her picture frames were smashed, and the sketches she had hung on the wall were now in little scraps of paper on the floor. She could see part of the kitchen from where she stood and could see that she would need to go shopping for new dishes and glasses. As she moved down the hallway she peaked in the bathroom and added shampoo to the list.  
  
She found Gibbs in the bedroom, starring down at the mess that was her floor. And it was here that she felt most violated. Whoever did this had gone through all her drawers, throwing the contents on the floor. All clothes that were hanging up in the closet were now on the floor.  
  
Gibbs finally noticed her when she walked up beside him. He looked at her, thinking he should be mad that she didn't stay in the car, but he didn't have the strength.  
  
"Kate, I...I'm sorry." He knew it was inadequate, but it was all he could offer her.  
  
She looked up at him and tried to smile, but failed miserably. "You have nothing to apologize for, Gibbs. I mean, it's not like you did it or anything."  
  
He watched her as she walked around the room picking thinks up off the floor. "Kate, don't touch anything. He might've left prints."  
  
Kate dropped the clothing, letting it fall silently to the floor. She walked over to the closet, pulled a rubber glove out of her pocket, and pulled open the door. She pushed what was left hanging out of the way before kneeling down and opening a hidden door. She reached inside and pulled out her emergency suitcase along with an envelope.  
  
"What are you doing?" Gibbs asked, going over to stand next to her.  
  
"Getting my bag and emergency cash. I figure I won't be coming back soon." She stood up, bag and envelope on hand and looked at him. "Can we go now?"  
  
Gibbs nodded and walked towards the door. As they walked out of the damaged apartment he put his arm around her shoulders, trying to comfort her as much as he could. 


	9. 9

A/N: Sorry this chapter took me SO long. I've been suffering from MAJOR writer's block.  
  
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"Where do you want me to sleep?" Kate asked when they arrived at Gibbs'.  
  
"Guest bedroom, down the hall to your right."  
  
Kate nodded and headed in the direction he indicated. She found the room with little trouble and deposited her bag on the floor of the closet. She took a moment to survey the room. It didn't hold that much furniture, but what it did suited the room perfectly. The bed was a queen and spacious enough for two if it was necessary. There was a dresser in one corner, which Kate suspected he had built himself, and a lamp in the other corner.  
  
She walked towards the bed and sat down on the edge. She held her head in her hands and closed her eyes. She was exhausted and all she wanted to do was go to sleep and not wake up until this living nightmare was over.  
  
"Kate, you okay?" Gibbs asked quietly from the doorway. He'd been silently watching her, worrying about her. He had actually come to ask her if she was hungry, but when he had seen her with her head in her hands he was instantly concerned.  
  
She raised her head just enough to look at him and answered, "I'm just tired."  
  
"Why don't you take a nap or something?"  
  
She contemplated the suggestion before nodding her consent. She toed off her shoes and shrugged out of her jacket before sliding up the bed. Gibbs turned and moved quietly toward the door but he didn't get very far. Kate's voice stopped him a few steps from the bed.  
  
"Stay. At least until I fall asleep." Kate's quiet request drifted from the bed.  
  
When he turned back her eyes were closed and she looked like she was already half asleep. His brain was telling him to back out of the room and quietly close the door, but his heart was telling him to go to her.  
  
He listened to his heart.  
  
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He was faceless, nameless. But he was dangerous, so very dangerous.  
  
He held a gun to the head of the man she loved.  
  
He told her to come with him or the man was dead.  
  
She couldn't move.  
  
She saw his finger tighten on the trigger.  
  
She tried to scream, but no sound came out of her open mouth. She watched as he pulled the trigger and let the man she loved hit the ground.  
  
And only then did her voice work. "NO!" 


	10. 10

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Gibbs was down in the basement when he heard her scream. He had lain with her until she had fallen asleep and waited until he was sure she wasn't going to wake up when he left. But now she was awake, and she was screaming. He threw his block sander down on the bench and sprinted up the stairs. When he got to the guest bedroom he found Kate tossing and turning on the bed. She was no longer screaming, but she was murmuring incoherently. It was obvious she was having a nightmare.  
  
He went to her and sat gently down on the bed. He brushed the hair off her face and put his hands on her shoulders to still her movement.  
  
"Kate. Kate, wake up." Gibbs whispered. When she didn't wake up he shook her shoulders gently and spoke louder, "C'mon, Kate, open your eyes.  
  
Her movements stilled and Gibbs brushed her hair away from her face again. "Kate, open your eyes. It's just a dream, come back now."  
  
Hey fluttered open and all she saw was his face. His eyes were filled with concern and something else she couldn't quite place. But she wasn't worried about that at the moment. She had just seen him killed by the man who wanted to kill her. She knew it was a dream now, but it had seemed and felt so real. The heart-wrenching pain she'd felt when she saw Gibbs fall to the ground was unbelievable and she could still feel it. So what she did next was understandable and excusable. She sat up and threw herself into his arms. She needed to feel him, needed to feel his heartbeat. She needed to prove to herself that he was alive and here with her now.  
  
Gibbs wasn't ready for her. He hadn't prepared his senses to be assaulted by her scent. He hadn't prepared his heart for the way she would look at him; like she was overwhelmed with emotion that he was with her. He hadn't prepared himself for the reaction he would feel when she held him. But that did not stop him from putting his arms around her and holding her tight.  
  
Kate buried her head in his chest and laid her ear over his heart. It was strong and solid; he was alive, he was okay. It was like a broken record, playing over and over on her head. She held him tight and he held her tighter.  
  
"Do you want to talk about it? Sometimes that helps." He said quietly after she'd been quiet for a while. He felt her shake her head against his chest and thought he heard her say 'just hold me.' So he held her, knowing that when she wanted to talk she would talk.  
  
Kate knew Gibbs was concerned, and that touched her, but she couldn't tell him about her dream. She wasn't sure she could get through the story without breaking down and she wouldn't let herself do that again. She knew talking about it would make the pain come back and she couldn't go through that again so soon. So she held him and let him hold her.  
  
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About an hour later Kate sat on the couch in the basement watching Gibbs work on his boat. She had a turkey sandwich on her lap that he had made for her, but she didn't feel like eating. When she'd finally gotten herself under control and released him he had suggested that it might be a good idea if she ate something and relaxed in the living room. She agreed, knowing that sleep was out of the question. But when he had said he was going to be down in the basement she'd asked if she could go down with him. She'd told him that she wanted to learn about boats, but she just used that as an excuse to be near him. If she was going to be honest with herself she wasn't ready to let him out of her sight. She knew it was foolish, but she needed to.  
  
Gibbs could feel her eyes on him as he worked. He didn't mind that she was down with him, but it was the first time anybody had watched him. He saw right through her excuse to be downstairs, he knew that she didn't want to learn about boats but he wasn't complaining. He enjoyed her company, even if she wasn't talking. He knew that her dream had shaken her up a lot and guessed that it involved him in a big way, but he didn't know how. If he had to guess by the way she reacted, he would guess that he had been killed and she could nothing to stop it. It was a typical nightmare for this kind of situation, but that didn't mean he wasn't concerned.  
  
He'd had dreams similar to that when he first left the marines. He was young and traumatized by what he'd witnessed. But he'd learned to channel it into his work and, eventually, into building a boat. It had affected his marriages and his relationships with other people. He was known for his unwillingness to open up to people. He now knew it was a mistake to ever think about marriage; he was hardly ever home and when he was he never gave his wife his full attention. All of his wives badgered him about his work and his tendency to stay late at the office, but that didn't stop him. He had grown to dislike them, which inevitably led to no longer loving them. He blamed himself for the failure of his marriages and he understood why they'd left him.  
  
In his life there was only a handful of people who didn't try to pry into his past. Ducky, Abby, his sister, and Kate. He'd known Ducky for three years before he finally told him about his failure and vulnerabilities. His sister had been there for him all three times he'd had to go through a divorce, but she had never questioned why. And Abby knew very little, and was learning more by the day. There was something about her that made you talk, he couldn't help it. He'd never told anyone about his past who he hadn't known for less than a year. But he wanted tell Kate, he felt like he had to. He wanted to tell her about the marines and why he hadn't reenlisted. He wanted to tell her about his family and why it didn't work with his ex-wives. He wanted to tell why his marriages never worked and why he was afraid of loving her.  
  
But he couldn't, not yet. 


	11. 11

A/N: I just wanted to tell you guys that I have been unable to post or write due to computer problems. I know you are impatient to read the next chapter and I am anxious to see what you all think. I am going out of town for five days and I will not post until I get back home. I hope this chapter is sufficient for now. Thanks for all the reviews and encouragement.  
  
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"Can I do something?" Kate asked as she Gibbs chop vegetables. He was making dinner and forcing her to eat it. He'd said he didn't want her to pass out from a lack of food.  
  
""No, you can just sit there and watch." He answered throwing the veggies in a sauce pan and watching them sizzle. He'd wanted to cook for her; he thought it might make her open up. She'd been extremely quiet ever since she had woken up. She wasn't silent; she just wasn't talking that much.  
  
He'd worked quietly in the basement while she watched him work. He half expected her to go back to sleep, but she didn't. Instead, she'd walked over to him and asked if she could sand the next plank he put on. He was surprised, to say the least, but handed her the sanding block. While he was working on the plank, she'd started asking him how he'd learned to build a boat and if he knew how to sail. He'd answered her questions and asked her question of his own. Why she joined the secret service, where she went to high school, he'd even asked her if she knew how to sail. He was slowly coming to know more about her and her past.  
  
"C'mon, Gibbs, let me at least set the table or something." Kate's voice broke through his thoughts.  
  
"Okay. Dishes are in the cabinet about the sink." He wanted to talk to her. He wanted to know what had happened in her dream that made her so quiet. He wanted her to open up to him, but he knew if she opened up to him he would have to open up to her. He didn't know if he was ready for that. There was a lot about him nobody knew, even Ducky.  
  
Kate went about setting table while she listened to Gibbs prepare dinner. She'd made a decision to talk to him about her nightmare after dinner. She wasn't sure how we going to react, but she'd already made her choice.  
  
"Okay. You ready to eat?" Gibbs asked as he turned from the stove and put a pot in to center of the table. He pulled out a chair for her and one for himself. "What would you like to drink? There's milk, water, soda and coffee. Of course."  
  
Kate smiled at the mention of his beloved drink. "I think I'll go with water."  
  
"One water comin' up." He went to the fridge, got a bottle of water and a glass from the cupboard before returning to the table.  
  
"Thank you."  
  
They ate in silence. The only conversation was when one of them asked to pass something. Kate was preparing herself to tell Gibbs what happened. She was preparing herself to open a door she'd closed long ago. He had to know why she'd reacted how she did and that would involve a lot of bad memories and, she suspected, pain. She had to do this and it only made sense that he know.  
  
When they were finished Gibbs cleared the table and told Kate to go into the living room to relax. He joined her after he grabbed a cup of coffee. She was starring out the window when he walked into the room. And he was struck with the sudden urge to pick her up and carry her to his bedroom, and lay down with her. He couldn't explain it, and he wasn't sure he wanted to.  
  
She knew was back in the room. She'd felt it the moment he'd stepped in. She could feel his gaze on her as she stood by the window. She knew she had to tell him. He had to know this wasn't the first time something like this had happened to her. She'd been stalked before. The guy was clinically insane and obsessed with her.  
  
She'd first met him on Air Force One when he'd carried the "football." She'd talked to him, like she would anyone in his position. When her shift was over and another agent took her place he'd grabbed her wrist and practically begged her to stay. She'd smiled and refused, pleading tiredness and the need to rest. He said he had understood and let her go. But while she was in the rest area for the secret service he'd walked in. He'd called her name from across the room and her fellow agents stared at her with disapproval in their gaze. No one was allowed in the area unless invited by an agent; that was never done, it was unspoken rule. But she had gone to the doorway before he could step in the room and demanded to know what he was doing there. He had told her he was looking for her; that he didn't like the new guy who was with him. She was reaching a point of irritation that was dangerous and she'd had to take a couple deep breaths before telling him to leave her alone and go back to where he was supposed to be.  
  
It started two weeks after the flight. At first it was letters, unsigned. Then, they were signed "your secret admirer." She been flattered, at first, but when they person had started talking about marriage and forever she'd gone to her friends who told her to take it to the head of the Secret Service. They'd tried to track him down, but there was nothing to go on. So, they told her to wait it out; that maybe it would stop.  
  
It didn't stop.  
  
It got worse. There'd been letter tapes; she'd known it was him when she'd heard the voice. It gave her chills to think about it now. He'd told her he wanted to marry her, with or without her consent, and move to Colorado where they could be undisturbed in the mountains. He said he loved her and he'd known from the minute he'd boarded Air Force One and saw her that she would become his wife. Knowing the Secret Service would give her the same answer as the last time, she'd gone to the FBI. They had been able to track him down, albeit two months later. And her life had become semi- normal again. She had put it behind her and everyone knew not to mention it around her.  
  
But now she was going to go back and rehash old wounds.  
  
She turned from the window and met his gaze head on and said, "Gibbs, I need to tell you something." 


	12. 12

A/N: Okay, I am back from my vacation. God was it nice! But, you guys don't want to hear about it. But, before we get on with the story, I have to say that if you are any kind of fan of Mark Harmon you have to go out and buy, or go out and rent, "Local Boys." It is not the recent and you probably won't find it at any Blockbuster or Hollywood video. If you have a low-end video store in your area, look there.  
  
Anyway, one with the story  
  
+++++  
  
Gibbs sat in a chair by the bed and watched her sleep. He had just heard about the freak who had stalked her when she started working for the Secret Service. He wanted to ask questions, but after she was done he could see she was physically and emotionally drained. He'd told her to go to the bedroom and relax. He had gone to the kitchen and made some tea, but when he got into her room she'd been asleep. He hadn't known what to do so he'd pulled up a chair from the desk and sat beside the bed to watch her sleep.  
  
That was an hour ago. When he first sat down he'd told himself it would only be fro a few minutes; to make sure she didn't have another nightmare. His plan was to go back down to the basement and work on his boat, but as he sat by the bed he realized there was no where else he'd rather be. He was happy and content to just watch her. Of course, he would be happier if there wasn't someone out to get her and she was at his house for all the right reasons. But, for right now, he'd take however he could get her.  
  
He was brought out of his thoughts when she turned over and faced him. She was still asleep and she wasn't having nightmares. So why was he still here? He should be thinking about how he was going to catch this guy, not thinking about how he wanted her to be at his house because she wanted to be. But the more his head told him to go, the more his heart made him stay.  
  
He looked up when she shifted again and was met with sleepy green eyes. She smiled softly at him and he felt his heart rate speed up. God, she was beautiful. He knew he should say something to fill the silence but he was struck silent by her beauty. The moonlight streaming through the slightly- opened curtains hit her just right and made her look like an angel. His angel.  
  
"Is something wrong?" She asked, sleepiness making her voice huskier than normal.  
  
Gibbs shook his head, still unable to speak. The effect she was having on him was new yet familiar. He was used to the way his body reacted whenever she was around, but this was entirely different. She was in his home, in his bed. This was totally new to him. To see how she looked when she woke up. The way she stretched lazily and how her hair was all messed up. The way her eyes still drooped when she blinked and how her voice held a husky tone to it. And when he looked into her eyes he noticed that what she was feeling was in her eyes. Her emotions weren't hidden when she woke up, but he knew if he gave her time she would put up her walls and he wouldn't be able to tell what she was feeling. So he looked in her eyes now and saw that she was actually grateful that he was there. He saw questions that she wanted to ask. And he saw thought he saw something else he hoped might be...love.  
  
"Then why are you here?" She asked growing uncomfortable under his penetrating gaze.  
  
"I brought tea." He said weakly, without taking his eyes from hers. He was awed by her. It was the only explanation he could come up with. This had never happened to him before. No matter how beautiful a woman was he'd never had trouble talking. His second wife had been an ex-model and he hadn't had trouble talking to her. That didn't mean he actually talked, but if he'd wanted to he wouldn't have had any trouble.  
  
But with Kate everything was new and different. He'd known it from the second he first saw her. He had instantly gotten goose bumps and his skin had gone clammy. He hadn't known then what was happening then, but he knew now. It meant he was supposed to spend the rest of his life with this woman. He had tried to fight it, but it was no use. The more he fought it, the more he was faced with the fact that he was never going to get over her.  
  
When she reached for the cup he had set on the side table his hand shot out and grabbed hers before she could grab the cup. When she looked at quizzically he answered sheepishly with, "I brought it over an hour ago."  
  
Kate finished what he couldn't, "And you haven't left since. Why?" 


	13. 13

+++++  
  
Why? She wanted to know why? What was he supposed to say? He knew what he wanted to say, but he couldn't say that. He couldn't tell her he was sitting here because his heart wouldn't let him leave. He couldn't tell her that he didn't want to be anywhere else but with her. But she wanted an answer.  
  
"It was only a little while ago and I wanted to make sure you didn't have any nightmares." There, that was believable and half-true.  
  
"Uh-huh." She didn't believe him, but she wasn't going to demand an answer. She was glad he was there; it made her feel that much safer.  
  
"What time is it?" Kate asked, sitting up and throwing her legs over the side of the bed.  
  
He glanced at his watch and said, "11:46."  
  
"Why aren't you sleeping?"  
  
"Not tired. Where you going?" He asked, standing up when she moved towards the door.  
  
She turned around to look at him and said, "Bathroom. Can I go alone or are you thinking he'd hiding in the shower?"  
  
He smiled and motioned for her to go. He took this time to walk through the house and make sure all the windows and doors were closed and locked. He decided he'd leave the basement door unlocked, but made sure all the other doors in the basement were tightly locked. He had a feeling he wouldn't be sleeping tonight and wanted to do something other than stare at Kate all night; something...productive.  
  
"What are you doing?" He voice drifted down the stairs to him.  
  
He stood up from his crouched position by the basement's lower door where he'd just finished locking up. He turned just in time to see her descending the stairs. She'd put on a sheer white robe and as she walked it billowed around her. Again, Gibbs was reminded of an angel. He realized she was waiting for an answer when she looked at him expectantly.  
  
"Uh, I was just locking up."  
  
Kate nodded and walked over to the boat, running her hand along the smooth surface of the planks. "Is this your first?"  
  
It took him a minute to realize she was talking about the boat. "No. I built my first boat with my grandfather and father when I was fourteen. They taught me what to do and how to do it. When my grandfather died my dad and I built one in honor of him. Then, when he died I built another one by myself and named it after him. Neither one of them get used. They both sit in my sister's backyard."  
  
Kate took in what he said in shock. He'd never said that much about himself or his past in the months she'd known him. She was quiet for a while, letting it all sink in, before asking, "So who's this one for?"  
  
Gibbs thought for a moment then answered, "Myself, I think."  
  
She smiled, "You think?"  
  
He smiled back, "Yeah. I started it during my third marriage. It's what put the final mail in the coffin. She accused me of spending too much time on building this instead of with her. It was true and I didn't argue when she filed for divorce. Now I work on it when I need to think."  
  
"About what?" She asked when it was obvious he wasn't going to elaborate.  
  
"About whatever. I come down here when a case is bothering me. Or when I can't figure out something. It was become more a stress-release device than anything else."  
  
Kate nodded her understanding. "I know what you mean. When I was sixteen my best friend was killed in a car accident. She'd just gotten her license and was on her way home from our football team's championship game. We won. It happened on one of the back roads. The other driver was drunk and driving on the wrong side of the road without his lights on. Shelley didn't see him and went head-on into the front of his car."  
  
Gibbs didn't think he knew anyone who had gone through as much tragedy and strife as the woman who stood in front of him. "I'm sorry."  
  
But she went on as if she hadn't even heard him. "That's not even the worst part. I was supposed to go home with her that night. It was our weekly girl's night. We were going to go to the movies and dinner after the game. But Brad finally asked me out at the game and I told her that he was going to take me to "The Spot" then take me home. I had thought she'd be happy for me, but she wasn't. You see, she was supposed to be moving away two weeks later and this was our last chance for a girl's night. She got mad, which in turn made me mad. Long story short: our last words to each other weren't exactly friendly. I blamed myself because I wasn't there to tell her that the car was coming. I told myself if I hadn't gone with Brad..." She trailed off and sat down on the couch.  
  
He sat beside her and put his arm around her shoulders, bringing her closer to him. "It wasn't your fault, Kate. You could've been hurt or killed if you were in that car, too."  
  
She looked up at him with a humorless smile and said, "I know that now. But when you're sixteen and you lose your best friend you feel responsible somehow. I started drawing as a way to channel everything I was feeling. My parents started to worry when I wouldn't come out of my room for days at a time. I eventually got over it enough to get back to normal, well as normal as I could anyway. My mom tried to talk to me about it; every time she did I closed myself off. I've had trouble opening up to people ever since." She got quiet and Gibbs could tell she was thinking, "Except with you. I don't seem to have trouble opening up with you."  
  
"I know what you mean." 


	14. 14

A/N: Sorry it has been so long since the last update! It's been crazy around here. Found out my coach is leaving RIGHT before my senior years starts and there has been CHAOS like you wouldn't believe.  
  
Anyway, here it is......  
  
+++++  
  
The words were out of his mouth before he could stop them. But, strangely, he didn't care if she knew that she brought out a different side in him. Hell, he wanted her to know so much more than that. But now wasn't the time. So when she directed a questioning gaze at him he told her only half the truth.  
  
"I've never talked openly with anyone about any of my marriages or my family."  
  
Kate studied him out of the corner of eye. He had that look that told her he wasn't telling the whole truth. She could see the twitch in his jaw and saw his hand clench by his side. She wanted to ask him to tell her what he wasn't saying, but she was afraid. Afraid that what he would say wouldn't be what she wanted to hear.  
  
"You ready to go back to sleep?" He asked, breaking the silence.  
  
"Yeah."  
  
They got up and walked up the stairs, his arm still around her shoulders. She slipped her arm around his waist and snuggled closer to his side.  
  
"Hey, Gibbs, I know this is going to sound extremely pathetic and wrong, but...will you sleep with me?" She asked in a small voice.  
  
He stopped their movement and looked down at her. When she didn't look at him he hooked a finger under her chin and brought her head up so he could look into her eyes. "While that could be taken the wrong way, I'm not like Tony. And that's not a pathetic request, Kate. It's an understandable one. And, yes, I would love to sleep with you." He said in a jokingly suggestive tone.  
  
She smiled at his statement, knowing he was joking. But half of her wanted him to mean the real thing. She wanted him to want her, on a purely physical level. She wanted him to want her like she wanted him. Every time she saw him her heart lurched in her chest and her eyes saw nothing but him. She wanted him to feel what she felt, but if it wasn't going to happen she was going to take everything and anything she could get.  
  
+++++  
  
Gibbs lay awake, just looking at her. He hadn't gotten a wink of sleep and now it was almost dawn. If it was any other day he probably would've been at the office by now. But today wasn't like any other day. He'd never been in such close proximity with Kate for more than a minute. She was slowly driving him crazy. Her scent had been wreaking havoc on his senses since they had first lain down. It was bad enough he had fantasies about her when he was alone, but when she was right in front of him, an arms length away, his control was slowly slipping. He had to think about the most gruesome thing he'd ever seen to keep his body in check while lying beside her.  
  
He forced himself not to move when she shifted next to him. But as hard as he tried he couldn't stop his arms from encircling her when she snuggled against his side and rested her head on his chest. He could die right now and be happy. When she stilled again he glanced down at her and smiled slightly. Her face was turned up towards his and she was smiling; obviously not having a bad dream.  
  
So why was he still here? He was only torturing himself by being this close to her. He was hard as steel and having half her body on top of his was not helping. He told himself he was there to make sure she didn't have nightmares. He told himself that his being there was what was keeping the nightmares away. While some of it might be true, he knew the real reason was because he loved this kind of torture.  
  
He knew he would never have Kate in a way more than this. And he was a sick bastard to hope they didn't catch the guy anytime soon. Because, God help him, he was lost in her. He was lost in her scent, in the way her hair blew across her face when they were outside, in the way she smiled at him. It would take a lifetime to list all the ways Kate had stolen his heart, and he would rather not waste time naming them when he could be finding out more reasons why she was the most amazing woman in the world.  
  
The first time he'd admitted to himself that she was the woman he was meant to spend the rest of his life with was when she first smiled at him. Sure, she smiles at Tony too, but not the way she smiles at him. When she smiles at Tony, it doesn't quite reach her eyes. But when she smiles at him her eyes light up and he can almost read what's going on inside her head.  
  
He glanced back down at her when she started moving again. Only this time she practically crawled on top of him. He tried, and failed, to suppress the groan that rose in his throat. His hands, try as he might to stop them, found their way down to her rear end and brought her closer to him. He was convinced that the powers that be were out to get him when he felt her hands move against his chest and up around his neck to tangle in his hair. He gritted his teeth against the feelings she was releasing in him. It wasn't until he felt her lips on his neck and face that he knew he had to stop this. She was asleep and not in control of her actions.  
  
He rolled over and deposited her in the space next to his.  
  
"God knows I want you more than anything, but I want you awake when it happens." He whispered to her sleeping face before getting out of the bed and going to take a cold shower. 


	15. 15

+++++  
  
Kate opened her eyes just to immediately close them again. The sun was shining through an open curtain and directly into her eyes. She rolled over and buried her head in the pillow next to her; a pillow that smelled like Gibbs. She hugged it tight to her body and inhaled deeply, taking in as much as she could before exhaling again. When she was sure she wasn't going to be blinded she opened her eyes and stretched.  
  
She felt good, considering the circumstances. She'd dreamed last night, not nightmares, but...fantasies. Well, maybe fantasies was too mild a word, but she didn't know what else to call them. And all of them had to do with one certain NCIS Special Agent. They were so vivid; she could've sworn she was actually living them. The way he felt, hard and smooth at the same time. The way he smelled, like sawdust and coffee. The way he tasted, salty yet a certain kind of sweet. She was getting hot just thinking about it; maybe a cold shower this morning.  
  
She was half way to the bathroom when she heard a loud crash coming from downstairs. She smiled to herself when she realized Gibbs hadn't gone into the office. She decide to take a shower before going to see him, he would most likely still be in the basement when she got out anyway.  
  
+++++  
  
Gibbs knew she was awake when he heard the pipes groan and the sound of running water upstairs. Now he didn't have to worry about being quiet. He picked up the power sander and flipped the switch. He didn't use power tools often, but when he did they were the best, meaning they were loud.  
  
After he'd gotten out of bed and taken that very cold shower he'd come down stairs and worked on the boat. He'd left the door open just in case she started having nightmares again, but other than that he had tried not to think about her. That little stint in the bed nearly did him in. If he thought about her for the tiniest of seconds he would surely lose the little control he had left.  
  
And now she was awake, and taking a shower. It was impossible not to think about her now. She was upstairs, in the shower, without close. When he nearly dropped the sander he cursed and flipped it off again. This was not safe; having her here. She was driving him crazy. If he didn't have her soon, he would surely lose his mind. But, it was her decision to make and he couldn't make it for her.  
  
However, he could sway it.  
  
+++++  
  
Kate grabbed the towel off the counter and wrapped it around herself before opening the door and stepping into the hall. She was smiling when she stepped through the doorway to the guest bedroom, but the smile vanished from her face when she noticed that she wasn't the only one in the room. Gibbs sat stood at the window, looking out. He appeared to not know she was in the room yet, so she took the time to admire him. He wore a plain white t-shirt that looked like it had been through the wash one too many times. She could see the muscles in his back ripple as he took each breath. His hands were stuffed in the pockets of his jeans, causing the denim to tighten around his butt. She cocked her head sideways when she realized she's never taken the time to admire him like this before, and it wasn't helping her in the arousal department. She'd taken a cold shower for a reason, darn it!  
  
He knew she was watching him. He could feel her eyes as they traveled over his body. He'd wanted to turn around when she first walked into the room, but something had stopped him. He wanted to see if she would immediately ask him why he was there or if she would wait. He had secretly hoped she would do the latter, but had not expected it to actually happen. But she was waiting, and watching.  
  
When he was tired of waiting for her to say something, he turned around. He watched as her cheeks redden with embarrassment at being caught staring. He watched her lips part on a gasp. And he saw her hand clutch the towel tighter to her chest. He had the sudden urge to rip the towel from her body and ravage her. Instead, he walked slowly to her until he was mere inches away.  
  
Kate stared up into his eyes. She knew her every emotion was written in her own, yet she did nothing to hide them. She wanted him to know she wanted him. She watched his eyes as they traveled down her body like a caress. She watched his lips and his tongue darted out to wet them. She watched his chest rise and fall steadily, and knew hers was doing the complete opposite of his. And she watched as her own hand reached out to touch the twitch of muscle in his jaw.  
  
His gaze collided with hers when her hand touched his heated skin. He saw the desire, and the want. He felt himself react to her touch like a match to tree. Of its own volition, his hand rose to take hers and hold it against his face. He turned his head and kissed to her palm and heard her sharp intake of breath. He moved his lips down a little further and lightly bit the inside of her wrist before soothing it with a kiss, never taking his eyes of hers.  
  
"Gibbs-"  
  
"Shh. No talking." He whispered, before lowering both their hands and moving in the last few inches until their bodies touched. He brought both his hands up to cup her face and brought his mouth down on hers.  
  
She knew only a moment's hesitation before she gave over to the feelings he was extracting in her with just a simple kiss. She knew all the reasons they shouldn't be doing this, but they all seemed so mundane and boring in the face of what was happening now. And when his tongue invade her mouth she let all rational thought fly out the window, so all that was left was sensation after sensation after sensation. 


	16. 16

A/N: WARNING: THIS IS A CHPATER THAT BORDERS ON R. So don't get mad at me, you were warned.  
  
+++++  
  
"I've wanted to do that for months now." Kate stated later when they were lying in the bed.  
  
His answer was a quiet chuckle. He wasn't thinking that he'd wanted to do this with Kate for months, he was thinking about how he wanted to do it again and again and again. In fact, it was suffice to say that he wanted her for the rest of his life. The problem with that was he wasn't sure if that was what she wanted.  
  
"You know what I was thinking?" Kate's voice broke into his thoughts.  
  
"What's that?" He looked down into her eyes.  
  
"Again." She said simply and kissed him. She felt him respond and smiled against his lips at the fact that she could cause that kind if reaction in him.  
  
Gibbs moaned in the back of his throat when he felt her straddle his hips. He broke their kiss when his lungs demanded air and gasped, "You are going to be the death of me."  
  
Kate smiled and leaned down to whisper in his ear, "Yeah, but what a way to go." She heard him laugh lightly and felt his hands at her hips. She flicked her tongue over his ear lobe before leaning back and kissing him again.  
  
Seeing his opening, he held her tightly to him and flipped them, without breaking their kiss. He drew away to look at her. He was mesmerized by the way her cheeks flushed when she was aroused and made her look even more beautiful. By the way her eyes darkened from green to a deep emerald and he could see the desire in her eyes. Then, of course, there were the other parts of her body that told him how much she wanted him, but he was focused on her face. Her face told him when she was close and when she needed just a little bit more. And it was her face that showed him the emotions she felt when she went over the edge.  
  
"What?" She questioned after she grew uncomfortable under his scrutiny.  
  
He shook his head and said, "Nothing, just lookin at you." Before she could reply, he kissed her. It was more to stop himself from saying something he would regret later then to shut her up.  
  
She felt herself melt under the heat of the kiss. She tried to move her arms to bring him closer to her, but they felt like lead and she was too weak to move them. As if sensing her problem, he lowered himself, making their bodies touch from head to toe. She moaned at the contact of skin on skin. Her soft curves cushioned the hard muscle of his body as he lay atop her, drinking at her mouth.  
  
The first time they'd made love had been rushed, almost desperate. The second had been slower, but still held a sense of urgency. And now, he planned to savor her. Take time and memorize every curve, every dimple, every place that made her moan, every place that made her catch her breath, every place that made her shudder, and every place that made her cry out. If it took all day and all night, he would take all day and all night.  
  
He started with her forehead, her eyelids, her nose, took a slight detour to each ear and found a spot that caused her breath to catch right behind her ear. He smiled when he found it and brushed her hands away when she tried to pull his head down.  
  
"No touching. This time is not going to be fast. I am going to take my time and learn your body. I'm going to study it, so when we're at the office I won't half to imagine what you look like under your clothes." He whispered in her ear and felt her shudder in response. 


	17. 17

+++++  
  
"Hey, Boss." Tony said in greeting as Gibbs walked into headquarters.  
  
"Hey, Tony. How's it goin?" Gibbs answered.  
  
Tony gaped at his boss. In the two years he had worked for Gibbs he'd never seen him so, dare he say it, happy. Tony's eyes searched for the standard cup of coffee Gibbs always carried, but he saw no trace of it.  
  
"Boss, you feelin okay?" Tony questioned, walking over to his desk.  
  
Gibbs looked up at him and said, "Yeah, I feel great. Why?"  
  
"It's just that you are never this happy in the morning."  
  
"Yeah, well..." He let his sentence trail off and turned back to his desk.  
  
Tony stared at him for a moment wondering what had gotten into him, but couldn't figure it out so he let it go...for now. "So, anyway, how's Kate doing?"  
  
At the mention of her name Gibbs' eyes went directly to her desk. He missed her, plain and simple. He hadn't wanted to come to work today, but Kate had said that he needed to. She'd said it would become suspicious if he didn't leave the house. He'd known she was right and had reluctantly agreed.  
  
*****Earlier the Morning*****  
  
Gibbs woke up to the feel soft kisses on his face. He smiled and put his arms around her.  
  
"Morning." He murmured, still half-asleep.  
  
"Morning." She answered. "You know it's ten to eight?"  
  
"So?" He opened one eye and looked at her.  
  
She smiled and said, "So that means you have to get up and go to work."  
  
"I don't wanna." He pouted and turned over to stick his head under the pillow.  
  
"Fine. I'm gonna go take a shower." Kate got two steps from the door before she felt his hands on her shoulders. He turned her around and she could tell he wasn't so tired anymore. "Yes?"  
  
He didn't say anything; just walked her backwards in the general direction of the bathroom. It wasn't until they were in the bathroom and Gibbs had turned on the shower that he finally said something. "You know, we should probably conserve water and take a shower together."  
  
She tried to hide the smile that wanted to break out on her lips, but she wasn't so successful. "You do have a point. Why waste water, right?"  
  
"Right." He nodded.  
  
"And you have no other reason to take a shower together other than to conserve water?"  
  
He thought for a moment, not sure if he wanted to continue this game. He had a feeling that if he said he had no other reason he wouldn't get anything but a shower. "Well, there might be a few other reasons."  
  
"Such as?" She folded her arms across her chest for emphasis.  
  
Instead of using words he used a language he knew she would understand: body language.  
  
He bent down and took her mouth with his own and grabbed her around the waist to bring her closer to him. He heard her moan and felt her arms go around his neck and her hands fist in his hair. He decided he liked Kate in the morning. She was warm and soft. Her body welcomed his when he pushed her back against the counter and his hips ground against hers. But it wasn't enough; he needed more. He picked her up and set her gently on the counter and positioned himself between her legs.  
  
They weren't wearing much clothing. She was wearing one of his t-shirts and he was clad only in boxers and an under shirt. So she took advantage of that and slipped her hands under his shirts. She found out last night that he had extremely sensitive skin right under his left collarbone and she heard him moan when lightly bit it.  
  
It took them a while to actually get to the shower part of the morning.  
  
*****Back At The Office*****  
  
"Boss?" Tony's voice brought his thoughts back to the present.  
  
He looked back to his computer and tried to feign boredom and answered, "She's fine." He looked when Tony didn't go back to his desk. "Dinozzo, don't you have work to do? We do have a murderer to catch."  
  
"Right, Boss." Tony looked skeptically at his boss before moving back to his own desk.  
  
It was a day of tedious work and not getting anywhere. All their leads led them nowhere and Gibbs had a hard time concentrating on anything. He knew it was ridiculous to believe it, but he could've sworn he smelled her. Every now and then he would catch a whiff of her perfume tickling his nose and he would look up only to find her chair empty. It was five o'clock when he couldn't take it anymore and got up so fast his chair almost tipped over.  
  
Tony looked up from his computer and eyed Gibbs strangely. "What is it, Boss?" He was already up and grabbing for his gun and phone before Gibbs spoke.  
  
"This isn't going anywhere tonight. I'm heading out." He didn't wait for Tony to answer, instead he picked up his coat and left.  
  
Tony stared, opened mouthed, as Gibbs disappeared from view. Something was up with him, he didn't know what, but something was up. 


	18. 18

A/N: Thank you SO much for all the reviews. They mean a whole heck of a lot to a writer. All I ask is that you keep them coming. Even if all you say is, "Good Job." It gives us writers something to work towards. So, Thanks. –JAGgedIverson  
  
Gibbs used his keys to unlock the door. He knew Kate wasn't expecting him to come home until much later. In all his years at NCIS he's never left earlier than eight. Now, at five-thirty, he was unlocking the door to his house and coming home to a beautiful woman. He had never been able to say that. Sure his ex-wives were pretty, in their own way, but they were nothing compared to Kate. She was, for lack of a better word, like an angel.  
  
He stepped in the house and was greeted with the smell of something cooking in the kitchen. He set his keys on the hook by the door and followed his nose to the kitchen. He stopped in the doorway and watched her. She had a portable radio on next to the stove and hadn't heard him come in; he would have to talk to her about being more careful. She had her hair in a messy ponytail and he was hit with the urge to take the tie out and run his hands through the silky strands. She was singing lightly with the music and he couldn't help but feel like she belonged here; in his house, fixing dinner for him and their future children.  
  
He took a moment to dream about what it would be like if she were his wife and they had kids; little girls with their mother's smile and their father's stubborn streak. He would come home from a hard day's work and the kids would run to the door to greet him and then she would come to him and he would take her in his arms and kiss her. But it wouldn't go any farther than that, because the kids were still in the room. And later, when the kids were asleep, they would have their time. They would talk about the day and how work was for both of them. Or on a rainy day they would hold each other in front of the fire. Or they would go upstairs and make love.  
  
It was a dream, and for as long as she was here he would live it.  
  
He pushed himself away from the doorway and walked quietly up behind her. He felt her tense when he slid his hands up her arms but when he whispered in her ear she relaxed against him.  
  
"Honey, I'm home." He whispered.  
  
She smiled and turned in his arms to face him. She kissed him lightly and asked, "How was your day, dear?"  
  
He smiled when she played along. "It was swell."  
  
She laughed at his choice of words then asked, "What are you doing home so early? You never leave the office this early."  
  
"We weren't getting anywhere. Every lead we got lead us into a dead end. I was getting bored and every time I looked up at your desk, I got this weird feeling that I should be here with you instead of at the office. I knew I shouldn't have gone in today."  
  
"You know you had to. Besides, now you can miss a couple days. Just have Tony- no, wait- have someone come and drop off whatever you need to work here. You a have computer, and I could help." Kate suggested.  
  
"Maybe. But, for now no more talk about work. What did you make?" He asked, lifting up a lid and looking under.  
  
"Just your basic spaghetti and meatballs." She reluctantly left his arms and moved to set the table.  
  
They enjoyed pleasant conversation while they ate the meal Kate had prepared for them. They talked about their childhoods and what their siblings were like. He had a sister; the red-headed mystery woman. Her name was Veronica. She had a brother who was ten years older than her; Brian. Her mother had gotten remarried after he first husband had died. Kate was a product of the second marriage. She didn't know her brother very well. By the time she was old enough to have a semi-adult conversation he was away at college. She didn't talk to her brother much except for holidays and other family events. He talked to his sister at least twice a week. They have a barbeque once a month. Both his mother and father have past away. His sister got married and has two boys; Kade and Michael. He taught them how to play football and how to fill water balloons to just the right level in order to have the best effect. She laughed when he told her of his misfortune at the age of ten with a paintball gun and a newly painted wall. He smiled when she told him of her first prom and how she looked in her dress.  
  
When they were done eating they both washed the dishes. She washed and he dried. They worked in companionable silence. When they were done they went down to the basement and worked on his boat.  
  
"You know, I've never allowed someone to work with me before." He stated after they had been working quietly for half an hour.  
  
She looked up from sanding and smiled. "Why is this time different?"  
  
"I don't know. I guess now is a first time for everything. First time talking about anything personal, first time letting someone else work on the boat, and first time..." He trailed off realizing he was about to say that it was the first time he'd fallen in love.  
  
"First time, what?"  
  
"What?"  
  
"You didn't finish your sentence. First time for what?"  
  
"Uh, first time...someone cooked me dinner." He said.  
  
Kate didn't fully believe him; she knew there was more that he wasn't telling her, but she wasn't going to push it. If there was one thing she knew about Gibbs, she knew he wasn't going to open up if she pushed.  
  
They went back to working quietly, both enjoying the other's company. When an two hours had past Gibbs looked up just in time to Kate trying to hide a yawn. He cursed himself silently for not paying attention to the time.  
  
He put down his tools and said, "Hey, why don't we go to bed?"  
  
"I'm not tired." She said, fitting another yawn.  
  
He smiled and nodded, "I know you're not tired. I just want to get you into bed."  
  
"You would." She laughed and let him tug her upstairs.  
  
Gibbs held her as she slept. They'd gone to bed hours ago and still he couldn't sleep. He thought it would be easy to sleep with her in his arms, knowing that all he had to do was whisper in her ear and she'd be ready. But sleep didn't come to him. His mind wouldn't shut off. He wasn't thinking about the murderer or how to catch him, like he should, he was thinking about Kate. He wanted to tell her he loved her. He wanted to lay his heart out and let her take it. He had a small feeling in his gut that she felt the same way, but wasn't sure if he felt it too. He wanted to tell her she meant the world to him. He wanted to tell her that rule twelve was something he made up so she wouldn't get involved with Tony.  
  
In the beginning he'd feared that they would be attracted to each other, so he'd come up with that crap about romance between agents never works. But as he saw her relationship with Tony become a brother/sister thing he began not to worry. And because she never brought it up again, he never told her that he made it up. There was no reason to, they weren't involved and he didn't think they ever would be. Now they were and he had no idea how to bring up the subject.  
  
"Why aren't you asleep?" Her soft voice reached his ears and he looked down at her. Her eyes met his, searching.  
  
"I just wanted to hold you. I don't want to miss one minute of being with you." He said, realizing it was the honest to God truth.  
  
She turned over so she could face him without having to crane her neck. "I'm not going anywhere anytime soon." She whispered.  
  
"I know."  
  
She looked into his eyes and could've sworn she saw love in them right before he put up his defenses. She wanted to tell him he held her heart in his hands. She wanted to tell him he was her world; if he wasn't around then she didn't feel like herself. She wanted to ask him how she lived without him for so long. She wanted to tell him that she loved him. But she didn't. Instead, she got as close to him as possible and buried her head in his chest.  
  
"Go to sleep." She said and kissed his bare chest.  
  
And he did; knowing she was going to be there when he woke up in the morning. 


	19. 19

A/N: I was recently informed that it was established in the show that Gibbs is an only child and, therefore, has no sister. But, since my story does involve his "sister," let's just say that he has one in this story. Thanks- JAGgedIverson  
  
A/N2: I know the killer hasn't been referred to lately but when you all least expect it, expect it.   
  
"I'm going to the store, you want anything?" Gibbs asked Kate as he put his jacket on.  
  
She looked up from her book and smiled, "Only for you to get back soon."  
  
His movements stopped; his arm half way through the sleeve. He stared at her, at her beautiful face. It was on the tip of his tongue, I love you, and all he had to do was say it. But he didn't. Instead, "Why don't you come with me? Better yet, why don't I call someone to pick us up food and bring it over here so I don't have to leave you?"  
  
She wasn't sure if he meant to say 'you,' but she wasn't going to say anything about it. "I agree with the second suggestion."  
  
He nodded and took off his jacket. He picked up the phone and made the call before going to sit next her on the couch. "What you reading?"  
  
"The Wedding, it's by Nicholas Sparks."  
  
He took the book from her hands and flipped it over so he could read the back cover, then set it aside on the coffee table.  
  
"I was reading that." Kate said weakly.  
  
He ran a finger down her cheek and leaned close so he could whisper in her ear, "Ah, yes, but WAS is the operative word in that sentence."  
  
"So now that you've take my book away, do have something in mind for us to do?"  
  
"I can think if a few things." He let his gaze travel down her body before returning to her face to meet her eyes. He saw the desire building in her eyes. And he wanted nothing more then to answer it with his own, but he wanted more than sex with Kate, he wanted a real relationship. He wanted to be able to share his problems with her and know that she was there to help him through whatever he was going through. And it was for that reason he wasn't going to give her what she wanted right now.  
  
"Oh, yeah? Like what?" She leaned towards him, offering her lips to his to be kissed.  
  
But he didn't kiss her; instead, he moved away and said, "Let's go for a walk."  
  
"A walk?"  
  
"Yeah, you know, you go outside and put on foot in front of the other and move forwards. Or backwards, whatever direction you want to go."  
  
"Yeah, I know what a walk is. What I don't know is why you want to take a walk. I got the impression that you wanted to...do something else."  
  
"Contrary to popular belief men don't ALWAYS think about sex. Is it such a bad thing that I want to spend time with you doing something other than that?" He questioned.  
  
She was taken aback by his answer. She wasn't expecting him to be so honest and she didn't know how to respond.  
  
He waited for a reaction and when he got none he couldn't hide the hurt and disappointment in his voice when he said, "I guess it is."  
  
When he moved to get up she grabbed his arm and pulled him back down, "No, it is a great thing. I just didn't expect you to say that. I've wanted to spend time with you doing nothing at all for the longest time."  
  
He looked down at her in wonder and smiled, "Yeah?"  
  
"Yeah." She answered simply.  
  
They walked in silence through the park. It was a nice, quiet Saturday afternoon and the flowers were in bloom all around them. They were walking hand in hand, like every other couple Kate saw. It felt good to think of her and Gibbs in that context; a couple.  
  
"What you thinking about?" His voice broke through her thoughts as they passed a small pond where kids were throwing bread crumbs to the ducks.  
  
"I have a boyfriend." She said simply, in an almost giddy tone.  
  
"Really? Who would that be?"  
  
Kate stopped moving, stunned. Had she miss read the signs? Did he just want to have sex and take walks? Maybe he didn't want to be her boyfriend. "Uh, I just thought that, um..."  
  
He looked down at her with eyes like stone and said, "You'd better tell your boyfriend to back off, because the way I see it, you're mine. And I don't share."  
  
Before she could say anything he caught her mouth with his and kissed her. 


	20. 20

A/N: WARNING: PARTS OF THIS CHAPTER ARE OR SHOULD BE RATED "R"   
  
They spent the next two and a half weeks the same way. Gibbs would go to work two days of the week and stay with her for the other three. He would bring files home with him and she would help him with paperwork or whatever it was that he was working on at the time. They'd had no new leads on the suspect of the murder/stalker case and Kate didn't bring it up. She was happy where she was; with Gibbs.  
  
They would often work on his boat down in the basement, so much so that Gibbs was starting to think of it as their boat. He taught her all the fine points on how to build a boat, and he would sometimes come home from work to find her in the basement. If it was anybody else he would be mad that she'd violated his sanctuary; but this was Kate, the woman he was in love with, so he didn't really care.  
  
She looked up from the file she was looking at to find him starring at her. He did that more often than not. She would wake up in the mornings to find him gazing at her. Or she would be standing in the kitchen doing the dishes or cooking and she would turn around to get something only to find him in the doorway looking at her. She didn't say anything, just looked right back at him. It often led to them making love wherever they were, but sometimes he would walk to her and take her in his arms and just hold her. Those were the times she treasured the most. Those off kilter moments when the world seemed like it had disappeared and only they were left. Sometimes they stood there for a couple minutes and others he would hold her for almost an hour.  
  
"C'mere." He said quietly as he got up.  
  
He held his hand out to her and without thinking she grabbed it. He led her to the back door and out to the yard. He let go of her hand and told her stay where she was for a quick second while he grabbed something. He disappeared around the corner of the house and came back carrying a tall ladder.  
  
"What's that for?" She questioned.  
  
"You'll see." He braced the ladder up against the house, check its sturdiness then turned back to her. "You go up first. I'll be behind you in case you lose your balance."  
  
She did as he said without a second thought. She would follow Gibbs into a pit of fire if he told her to, that's how much she loved him.  
  
She followed the ladder all the way up to the roof top. She turned around to ask where she should go next and found him right behind her. He was on the rung right beneath hers and he was so close she could feel his body heat through his clothes and her own. She looked into his eyes and found them dark with desire. She didn't have to lean back to know that he was aroused, but she did it anyway. She inched back ever so carefully until her waist come in contact with his. Usually she had to rise up on tip toe in order for them to be in line, but with the help of the ladder they were perfect height.  
  
She saw his eyes widen when he felt her lean back and for a split second there was a question in them. But he closed his eyes the instant he felt her against him. He had to bite back a groan and tighten his grip on the sides of the ladder in order to stay on. When he was sure he would survive he opened his eyes to look into hers. She was smiling, but the amusement couldn't hide the fact that she was just as turned on as he was.  
  
As bad as he wanted to relieve the pressure that was building up inside if him, he knew that on a ladder was the worst place to attempt such a thing. So he ordered her to move.  
  
"Where?"  
  
"There's a flat spot right over there." He motioned with his head in the direction she should go.  
  
When he was sure she was safely on the roof he lead her to the place he'd indicated. He told her to sit down and turned around to remove one of the shingles. She was surprised to find that it was a cover to a hidden compartment in the roof. It held blankets, a couple candles, a book of matches, and a small flash light.  
  
"Did you do that?" She asked in awe.  
  
"Yeah. I made it for Shelley, my second wife, when we first got married. She loved the stars. But we never got a chance to use it. Now I come up here sometimes when it's a really clear night to look up at the sky. It puts everything in perspective for me. It makes me think that there are bigger things than just NCIS and my own little world." He sat down beside her on the blanket he'd set out and lit one of the candles.  
  
She didn't know what to say so she just looked at him. She was honored that he would even consider bringing her up here. Somehow she knew that it was his last ounce of privacy, and he trusted her enough and cared for her enough for her to know it. At that moment she was overcome with the love she felt for him and she couldn't stop the tears that stung her eyes. She turned her head to hide them, but he caught it.  
  
"Hey, why the tears?" He gently turned her face back to him and swiped at the wet marks on her cheeks.  
  
She shook her head, unable to speak. She was dying to tell him how she felt, it was eating her up inside. But since she couldn't tell him, she did the only thing she could do. She kissed him. She kissed him with all the love she felt inside. It was a simple kiss, a kiss meant to stay that way, but it quickly got out of control. They were soon undoing buttons and unzipping zippers just to get as close as possible to the other.  
  
When they were both panting from a lack of oxygen he back off her enough so he could look into her eyes and said, "I just want you to know that I had no intentions of doing this up here. It's just that every time I get near you I need you so bad that I ache. Even if it's been only a couple of hours, I look at you and, well..." He trailed off as he took her hand and dragged it down the length of his body to his erection. His eyes never left hers as she squeezed and pulled. He fought the urge to thrust into her hand, but lost the battle when she ran her thumb over the most sensitive part.  
  
She smiled and kept up the tempo with her hand as she said, "I get the same way." She took his hand in her free one and placed it in between her legs where he would find her dripping wet and ready. She gasped as he pushed two fingers into her and found a rhythm that matched the one she was using on him.  
  
They lay on the roof for about an hour just talking. They talked about everything and nothing at all. Only when the temperature started to drop did they decide to go inside. They spent the rest of the night like they did all the nights they'd had together since this thing started; they slept together. 


	21. 21

A/N: Just so you all know, the keyboard can be your enemy. I've had so many ideas running through my head lately for this story, but none of them want to take root. The keyboard never wants to put my ideas into the right words so that is why I haven't posted in SO long.  
  
It was a day Gibbs would remember forever. It happened while he was at the office on Wednesday, June 23rd. He and Tony were doing their best to find more leads on Kate's case. They weren't having any luck so Gibbs decided to call it a day, at 3:30. He told Tony to go home or whatever he wanted to do, that he was leaving and that he would see him on Friday. He picked up his coat and left.  
  
That's when everything went wrong. While he was pulling off the freeway he ran over a nail and had to pull over so he could replace the flat. When he finally got back on the road his 'check engine' light came on right before the car ran out of gas. His cursed the powers that be for all that was happening to him at the moment. But then he remembered that he had a beautiful woman waiting for him at home, and she didn't know he was coming home so he could surprise her. He smiled and looked up to the sky and thanked God for the chance to love this woman. So he called the tow company, who luckily had just got a call from right down the street, and told them he just needed some gas to get home. He waited all of five minutes then he was on his way home.  
  
He opened the door quietly, so as not to give away he was home yet. He didn't see her anywhere on the first floor, so he went down to the basement. It wasn't usual for him to find her sleeping on the couch down there or working on their boat. Yes, their boat. He hadn't told her yet, but he was going to name it after her. But when he didn't find her in the basement he got a funny feeling. She was never upstairs when he got home. But then again, he never got home this early. So he shrugged it off, and headed for the stairs.  
  
That's when he heard it; a scream. It sounded muffled, like someone had a hand over her mouth. He grabbed his gun and bolted for the stairs. He took them three at a time, and sprinted towards the bedroom. He found her lying on the bed with her hands tied to the bed posts to prevent her from moving. She was naked except for her bra and panties. She was gagged with what looked to be a sock. But that isn't what caught his attention first. It was the man that was lying atop her, fully clothed.  
  
Before Gibbs could formulate a thought, he felt himself moving towards the bed and watched as his own hands pulled the man up by his neck and threw him on the floor. Gibbs was on him in a second; fists punching anywhere they could reach. He was blind with anger. Angry at the man for doing this to the woman he loved. Angry at himself for not being there. And angry at the guards that were supposed to be guarding her while he was at the office. He let his anger out through his fists, letting the bastard know that what he'd done was the worst thing he could do in his life. And when he finally let up the man's nose was bleeding and he was unconscious. Gibbs pulled the handcuffs from his back pocket and cuffed the man's wrist then used the other to cuff him to cuff him to the bed. And just for good measure he pushed the guy's head back with enough force to ensure a concussion.  
  
When that was done, he stood up and looked at Kate. He moved to undo the gag from her mouth then undid the ties holding her wrists. When he was finished he took off his coat and draped it around her shoulders and took her out of the room and down stairs. When he stopped and turned towards the couch in the living she shook her head and led him down to the basement. They sat down on the couch and he held her with one arm around her shoulders while he took out his phone.  
  
"This is Special Agent Gibbs; I need an ambulance and police here now." He hung up before the person on the other line could ask any questions.  
  
He then pulled Kate to sit in his lap while he held her. She buried her head in his chest and clung to him for dear life. And they stayed like that until the police arrived. They didn't need words; they just needed to feel the other one. Gibbs left her down in the basement while he answered questions from the police. And when they asked for Kate's statement, Gibbs calmly told them to shut the hell up and get out of his house. Oh, and that they would be in at the soonest possible convenience to give them her statement.  
  
When they were gone and the perp was taken away he went back down to the basement. She was still on the couch starring at the boat. When he started walking down the stairs she looked up at him and smiled. He gave her a sad smile in return and sat down next to her. He pulled her against him and laid his head on her shoulder. Only then did he let his emotions go. He felt the tears come and he didn't try to stop them. He pulled her closer to him, just to smell her unique scent.  
  
When she fist felt the wetness on her neck, she thought he was kissing her. But when she didn't feel his lips, she looked down as far as she could and saw that he wasn't kissing her, he was crying.  
  
"Hey, Gibbs." She said it softly, and brought his head up so she could look into her eyes. "What is it?"  
  
He just shook his head, not ready to answer. He just looked into her eyes and tried to convey with a look the feelings he was feeling inside. Anger, at himself. Love, more than he ever thought possible. Relief, she was safe and in his arms. Fear, she was almost taken from him. And he knew she saw them all when he saw tears come to her eyes as well.  
  
It was then, while he was crying and shaken up, that he said the words that he'd been longing to say for almost as long as she'd been working at NCIS. "I love you, Kate." 


	22. 22

A/N: I realize now that I could've written this as the ending to chapter 21, but at the time it wasn't in my head. I wanted to write more, but I am very pleased with where this has led me. So this is the ending. Hope you all enjoyed reading it.  
  
She was stunned, to say the least. He actually said it. He said he loved her. And she knew he meant it, that it wasn't some knee-jerk reaction to what had happened earlier. He'd cried and said "I love you, Kate." She was stunned into silence. She wanted to say that she loved him back, but her mouth and tongue weren't getting the signals her brain was sending. But she had to tell him, she didn't want him thinking that she didn't feel the same way, because she did. She loved him more than she loved the oxygen that kept her alive. So she ordered herself to take a deep breath and try again. But just as she opened her mouth to say it back he lifted his head.  
  
He looked into her eyes; his own still wet from his tears, and said, "Being with you, Kate, has made me realize something. I believe we love truly, deeply, only once in a lifetime. It doesn't matter how many people we go through to find the one that we're meant to find, when we find them we know deep down inside. And I knew the moment I saw you, I just didn't want to be wrong again. So I denied it, and myself. But I'm done denying it now, Kate. I want to be with you, in every way possible, for the rest of my life. I want to be your friend, your lover, your husband, the father to your children, your ally, your confidante, your rival. I want to be yours, Kate. Please, let me be yours."  
  
She brought her hands up the sides of his face and brought her mouth down on his. It was a brief kiss, but a sweet kiss. And when she pulled back she said, "Yes, to all of the above. Just promise me this: Let me be your lover, your wife, the mother of your children, your ally, your confidante, and your rival. Let me be yours."  
  
He smiled as his own words came back to him. He leaned in to whisper in her ear, "In my dreams, you already are."  
  
"I love you, Gibbs." She whispered back.  
  
A/N2: I want to know all the people who read this(a head count of sorts), so only if you just type a number or one letter, please press the review button and tell me you read it. Thanks-J 


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